Scheduling Repetitive Projects

Repetitive Projects

Projects in which similar activities are performed

repetitively at different work locations or sections
Projects that contain uniform repetition of work are
called repetitive projects
Projects that are geometrically linear are called
linear projects
Scheduling Repetitive Projects

Repetitive Projects

Linear (e.g., Highway) Nonlinear

1 2 3 4 N Vertical Repetitive
Spatially Separated
(e.g., Multiple Housing Units) (e.g., High-rise)
 Existing Tools limitation
 Not suitable for
Task 3 Task 5 repetitive projects
 No legible view of the
Task 1 Task 2 Task 6 Task 7 large project data
 Inadequate planning
Task 4  No cost Optimization
Activity

Time
Network-Based Techniques (CPM)

Duration driven not Resource driven

Resources are assumed to be available

Do not guarantee continuity of work

Representation problems

No consideration of work location

Progress monitoring difficulty

Repetitive Scheduling
Special Requirements for Repetitive schedule
Optimum utilization of resources

Crew synchronization

Achieving a desired progress rate

Repetitive & non-repetitive activities

Representing large amount of data

Learning curve effect

Network-Based Techniques
3 sequential activities & 4 similar units
Linear Scheduling Model

Station n

Station 2

Station 1
Duration-Driven vs. Resource-Driven

Duration-Driven (CPM and PDM): Assumes that

resources are unlimited and can not be used to
determine what resources are needed to meet a
deadline.

Resource-Driven (LOB): Schedules the activities so

that a project deadline is met using a predefined
resource limits.
 Line-Of-Balance (LOB) Method

Units End
11 -
A B C D Date

9 -

7 - Crews: 3 4 3 3
5 -

3 -

1 -
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27
Time
How to Design the Schedule?
Line-Of-Balance (LOB) Method
Line-Of-Balance (LOB) Method

One Activity & 1 Crew

Unit
Crew 1
5

Crew 1
4

Crew 1
3

Crew 1
2

Crew 1
1
Time
3 6 9 12 15

How Many Crews Needed to Meet Deadline (7 days) ?

Line-Of-Balance (LOB) Method

One Activity & 3 Crews (Shifted Crews)

Units

5 Crew 2

4 Crew 1

3 Crew 3

2 Crew 2

1 Crew 1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Time
Line-Of-Balance (LOB) Method

One Activity & 3 Crews (Parallel Crews)

Units

5 Crew 2

4 Crew 1

3 Crew 3

2 Crew 2

1 Crew 1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Time
CPM-LOB Calculations
 Computation of project delivery rate to meets a deadline
 Crew synchronization and work continuity equation
 Calculating resource needs
 Drawing the LOB schedule
CPM-LOB Calculations

R = (n - 1) / (TL - T1)
 CPM-LOB Calculations
Rate considering non critical activities

R = (n - 1) / [(TL - T1) + TF]

CPM-LOB Calculations

No. of Crews (C) = Duration (D) x Progress Rate (R)

Unit

4 Crew 1

3 Crew 3

2 Crew 2

R Crew 1
1
0 1 2 3
D = 3 days Time
CPM-LOB Calculations
R = 1 / (D / C) R = C/ D

C=RxD
Unit
Crew 3
3

Su = Su-1 + 1/Ri
2 Crew 2

Fu = Su + Di
1
1 R Crew 1
R
0 1 2 3 Time
D/C D/C D/C
 CPM-LOB Calculations

1- Draw the CPM for one unit and determine activities

floats; TFi
2- Calculate CPM duration for one unit; T1
3- Calculate Ri = (n-1) / (TL - T1) + TFi

4- Calculating Number of crews needed Ci = Ri x Di

5- Calculate actual number of crews Cai = Round up Ci

6- Then calculate actual delivery rates Rai = Cai / Di

CPM-LOB Calculations (Example)s

A 5-Kilometer pipeline project

The activities involved in one Kilometer is given below
Project deadline 30 days
Assume 2 days buffer time between activities

Activity Duration
Activity name Preceding activities
no. (days)

1 Locate and clear 1 -

2 Excavate
3 String pipe
4 Lay pipe
5 Pressure test
6 Backfill
3 1
1 1
4 2,3
1 4
2 5
CPM-LOB Calculations (Example)

0 1 3 6 8 12 14 15 17 19
1 (1) 2 2 (3) 2 4 (4) 2 5 (1) 2 6 (2)
0 1 3 6 8 12 14 15 17 19
2 2
3 4
3 (1)
5 6

T1 = 19 days
TL= 30 days
N = 5 units
Ri = (n-1) / TL - T1 + TFi = 4 / (11 + TFi)
CPM-LOB Calculations (Example)
Target Req. Actual Actual
Rate Crews Crews Rate
Duration Total Ri = Cai =
Activity Ci =Di x Ri Rai = Cai / Di
Di Float 4 / (11+TFi) Round up Ci

1 1 0 0.364 0.364 1 1
2 3 0 0.364 1.092 2 0.667
3 1 2 0.308 0.308 1 1
4 4 0 0.364 1.456 2 0.5
5 1 0 0.364 0.364 1 1
6 2 0 0.364 0.728 1 0.5
CPM-LOB Calculations (Example)
Su = Su-1 + 1/Ri

No. of Fu = Su + Di
units
4 5 7 8 9 12 16 20 22 23 29 31
5

1 3 2 4 5 6

1 Time
01 3 4 6 8 12 18 19 21 23
Use of Interruption to Save Time
Different Units rate
 Line-Of-Balance (LOB) Method
Units Shifted Crews Parallel Crews Diff. Durations
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

Time